11 Gorgeous Chignon Ideas for Your Next Event

Whether you’re having a nice brunch at a posh establishment, gabbing over fizzy cocktails with girlfriends, filing paperwork at the office or even walking down the aisle, you can never go wrong with a chic chignon. This hairstyle is as classy as it is simple, as sophisticated as it is lovely. And one thing’s for sure: the chignon will never go out of style — it’s eternally au courant.

The word “chignon” has French origin and literally translates to “at the nape.” Chignon the hairstyle, though, has transformed beyond your standard neck-grazing bun. As you can gather from the chignon tutorials below, this hairstyle can lean to the side, be placed high or low and takes on many forms.

Twisted Chignon

How would you describe this look and what’s your favorite thing about it?

This is a clean and simple chignon with delicate details at the back. Instead of a smooth bun, I literally added a twist in the hairstyle for texture, which I love. It looks better with highlighted hair as seen in the photo.

Which products would you recommend to help create and maintain this look?

I used a heated hair curler to add volume and texture at the bottom half of her hair, which enables the hair to hold better throughout the day. I then sprayed a generous amount of holding spray to smooth the top part and secure the bun with bobby pins.

What type of person would this look work best for?

This look is suitable for people with at least shoulder length hair. Shorter hair will have a smaller chignon bun, whereas longer hair will have a more voluminous look. This look is ideal for hair with some highlights to show the details at the back. It works for most face shapes (oval, round, square), with the exception of an oblong face shape. This is because a center parting tends to elongate the face even more. As the hairstyle is pretty neat, classy and not over the top, you can wear it to the office or to a special event like a wedding or cocktail party.

What’s your best tip for someone who’s considering this look?

The chignon bun needs to be tightly secured using bobby pins. The style will not look nice if it is loose or messy. Make sure to spray the hair before and after pinning. Since all the hair is pinned at the back, the frontal face may seem a bit too bare. You can take out a few strands from each side of the face and curl them (like in the photo) to frame the face.

Bridesmaid Chignon

How would you describe this look and what’s your favorite thing about it?

This look was designed for a bridesmaid in a wedding party. The woman had thick, waist-length hair and gave me the freedom to design any style I wanted as long as it was an updo. My favorite thing about this look is how smooth the braid is laid on the chignon.

Which products would you recommend to help create and maintain this look?

I used a very small amount of the Kenra Styling Gel for flyaways, a shine spray for that extra shine, and Kenra Finishing Spray for the final look. Oh and lots of bobby pins!

What type of person would this look work best for?

This look is perfect for someone who wants a chic and classic hairstyle. This is a no fuss, no maintenance updo. The style works best for medium to long hair and straight to textured hair types. It is perfect for weddings, entertainment events, proms or a romantic evening out on the town.

What’s your best tip for someone who’s considering this look?

This updo can be worn by all styles, face shapes and hair types. It can be modernized or styled in its classic form. The chignon is a classic simple updo for all!

Bigger & Tighter

How would you describe this look and what’s your favorite thing about it?

I love chignons because they are so timeless and elegant, my favorite thing about this chignon is that it has a modern feel to it by being a little bigger and tighter. I also love how gorgeous and shiny her hair looks!

Which products would you recommend to help create and maintain this look?

This look needs a very good light reflecting shine spray and a lightweight hairspray. The shine spray I used was from Toni and Guy, and I used it all over once I had finished dressing the hair. The hairspray was the L’Oréal Pro Range. You mustn’t over do the hairspray as this can make the chignon lose its smoothness. Little sprays often are needed to help keep the hair all in place.

What type of person would this look work best for?

This style can work with almost any hair type, with the help of hair padding in most cases! With the right styling tools to keep the hair sleek, almost anyone can wear this look. It’s a very sophisticated and simple style, yet it’s also very bold and daring. It works well with statement jewelry, luscious lashes and a fierce lip color.

What’s your best tip for someone who’s considering this look?

Look after your hair. The smoother your hair, the better your chignon will look. Be sure to use a hair oil to calm and soften any split ends, and get regular haircuts to keep your hair looking healthy.

Wedding Elegant

How would you describe this look and what’s your favorite thing about it?

This look is an elegant and sleek updo. It is great for any special occasion, especially a wedding. It is great for anyone who doesn’t like hair in the face and wants something that they can dance and shake around without worry.

Which products would you recommend to help create and maintain this look?

The best products to achieve and keep this look lasting all day and night would be Kerestase L’incroyable Blowdry on wet hair before blow drying to protect from heat. This product reactivates, so no need to reapply when going in with the flat iron. Control the hair with Baume Double Je as a finishing touch to add shine and keep the flyalways down. Finish the look with an extra strong hold hairspray like Laque Noire.

What type of person would this look work best for?

This full yet sleek chignon accentuates the face and is beautiful with a bold lip and dramatic eye.

Simple Elegance

How would you describe this look and what is your favorite thing about it?

I see this as an elegant style that doesn’t look overly done, making it appropriate for casual and formal events alike. Most upstyles are very curled, so I love that this is a straighter alternative that’s still soft and romantic.

What tips or products do you recommend to recreate this look?

My model’s hair was silky smooth, so dry shampoo (or a similar dry texturizing product) is a must! This style was all about simplicity, absolutely no curling required. I started by creating a low teased ponytail tied at both ends. I rolled it into a bun and secured it so that it didn’t wiggle when she shook her head. Only a few bobby pins were used to drape the rest, tucking in loose ends while letting longer pieces fall out organically.

What type of client would you recommend this look for?

This is actually a great style for shoulder length hair! A lot of women think that their hair is too short to put up, but I think there’s always a solution. This should be a quick and easy style to recreate on your own since it requires no heat, a couple elastics and a few bobbi pins. The carefree style will allow you to look put-together either at the office or in a wedding. It’s really versatile!

Distinctive Chignon

How would you describe this look and what is your favorite thing about it?

This is a messy and dusty look with a little detail that make this hairstyle strangely graceful. My favorite thing is wool detail. By using this distinctive accessory, I created a different, unusual and funny updo!

What tips or products do you recommend to recreate this look?

I am the Art Director for Orazio Anelli Hairstylist and a Global Fashion Ambassador for L’Oréal Professionnel, so I use only the best products of this brand. For this look I used Next Day Hair, a micro-propelled texturizing powder that gives a tousled effect and a messy finish.

What type of client would you recommend this look for?

I was inspired by Coachella. I recommend this updo for the fashionista with a boho chic style. This look is perfect for the girl with particular attention to details and a refined style.

Decorated Chignon

Also from Rubi of She Lets Her Hair Down is this smoother, rolled version of a decorated chignon. If you’re feeling crafty, follow this tutorial for making the pretty, celestial adornments pictured here. Feel free to get creative and ornament this look however you prefer, as well. Think sparkly vintage barrettes, DIY seashell pins, etc.

Headband Chignon

Lest we forget shorter haired women, we had to include this enchanting, headband version of the chignon. It works on both medium-short to medium length hair and all you need is an elastic headband and hair product to keep locks in place. The video tutorial from Lauren Conrad’s The Beauty Department breaks it down into easy-to-follow steps.

Braided Chignon

It’s no secret that braids are a definite hair do this days, so why not combine the classic chignon with the braid trend? To create this look, separate hair into two side sections and French braid both. Then, cross the braids over each other — arranging as you desire — and pin the braids together. Get the full tutorial at the Oh Happy Day blog.

French Twist Chignon

What do you get when you combine the French twist with a chignon? A glamorous updo worth of compliments, that’s what. YouTube user Lilith Moon makes this impressive chignon easy-as-pie to re-create in this video tutorial.